How much does Olaplex or K18 cost in Singapore?

At The Parlour Kovan, both are $40 add-ons to any hair service. Standalone at premium Singapore salons typically ranges from $50 to $100.

K18 vs Olaplex in Singapore: Which Bond Repair Treatment Does Your Hair Need?

Q: What is the difference between K18 and Olaplex?

Olaplex repairs disulfide bonds broken by bleaching and chemical colour. K18 repairs keratin polypeptide chains broken by bleach, heat, and general damage. Both available at The Parlour Kovan as $40 add-ons. They address different damage pathways and can be used together.

Q: Is K18 or Olaplex better for bleached hair in Singapore?

Both are beneficial. Olaplex mixed into bleach prevents bond damage in real time. K18 applied after restores keratin chain integrity and elasticity. In Singapore's UV and heat, combining both at different appointments is a practical approach for regularly bleached hair.

Q: How long does K18 or Olaplex last?

Neither is permanent. Adding Olaplex or K18 at every colour appointment maintains results. K18 typically remains noticeable for 4-6 weeks. Consistent treatment produces better long-term results than occasional sessions.

Chris Puan
3 days ago
5 min read

By The Parlour SG | Kovan, Singapore | Hair Treatment Comparison

K18 and Olaplex are the two most requested bond repair treatments at professional salons in Singapore. Both are designed to address damage in colour-treated and chemically processed hair. Both are used as add-ons during colour services. And both are regularly confused with each other by clients who have heard of them but are not sure exactly what each one does.

They are not the same treatment. They work through different mechanisms, address damage at different levels, and produce results that are best suited to different hair situations.

Here we compare and see where one is clearly better than the other, and when using both makes sense.

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1. How Each Treatment Works

How Olaplex Works

Olaplex works by repairing disulfide bonds, the structural bonds within the hair shaft that are broken during bleaching, lightening, and chemical colour processes. When hair is lightened, these bonds are broken as a side effect of the chemical reaction. Broken disulfide bonds weaken the hair structure, leading to breakage, brittleness, and poor elasticity.

Olaplex contains a patented active ingredient (bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate) that links to the broken bond ends and reconnects them, restoring the structural integrity of the hair. It does not coat the hair or add weight, it works within the hair shaft at a molecular level. It can be applied before, during, and after a colour service to prevent and repair bond damage.

How K18 Works

K18 works through a different mechanism. Rather than reconnecting broken disulfide bonds, K18 uses a patented biomimetic peptide, a short chain of amino acids that mimics the structure of the keratin protein chains in healthy hair. The K18 peptide penetrates the hair cortex and reconnects the broken keratin chains that give hair its strength, elasticity, and flexibility.

The result is a restoration of the hair's natural bounce and elasticity, hair that has become stiff, brittle, or that no longer responds to styling the way it once did. K18 also works at a molecular level but targets keratin chains rather than disulfide bonds specifically.

The key distinction: Olaplex targets disulfide bonds broken specifically by bleaching and colour chemicals. K18 targets broken keratin chains, which can result from bleaching, but also from heat damage, mechanical stress, and general ageing of the hair structure. K18 addresses a broader range of damage causes.

2. Side-by-Side Comparison

	Olaplex	K18
What it repairs	Broken disulfide bonds (chemical damage)	Broken keratin polypeptide chains (broader damage)
How it works	Reconnects broken bond ends within hair shaft	Biomimetic peptide reconnects keratin chains
Primary use case	During and after bleaching / colour services	After bleach, colour, heat damage, or general weakening
Application time	Can be mixed into bleach or applied as standalone	4-minute leave-in, no rinsing required
Result on hair	Reduces breakage during chemical processing	Restores elasticity, softness, and natural bounce
Works on	All hair types, especially bleached/lightened	All hair types including heat-damaged and non-coloured
At The Parlour	Available as add-on $40	Available as add-on $40
Use together?	Yes, addresses different damage pathways	Yes, complementary, not redundant

3. Which One Is Right for Your Hair?

Choose Olaplex if:

You are having a bleaching, lightening, or colour service and want to minimise chemical bond damage during the process, Olaplex can be mixed directly into the bleach
Your hair has been bleached and feels brittle or breaks easily, Olaplex targets the specific bonds broken by that process
You colour regularly and want to protect your hair's structural integrity with every colour appointment

Choose K18 if:

Your hair has been damaged by heat styling, not just chemical services, K18 addresses keratin chain damage from thermal sources that Olaplex does not target
Your hair has lost its elasticity and natural movement, it feels stiff, wiry, or no longer behaves the way it once did
You want a fast in-salon result: K18 takes four minutes to process with no rinsing required, making it one of the quickest add-on treatments available
You have non-coloured hair that has been heat-damaged, K18 is not limited to colour-treated hair the way Olaplex primarily is

Use Both When:

Your hair has been both bleached and heat-styled regularly, both damage pathways are active, and using both in the same appointment or at alternating appointments addresses each one
You are doing a significant colour transformation, a first-time balayage or colour correction, where bleaching is involved and the hair needs maximum protection

At The Parlour, both K18 and Olaplex are available as $40 add-ons to any colour service. Your stylist will recommend which is most appropriate based on your hair's condition and what service is being performed. In many cases, the recommendation will be one or the other, not both, because the specific damage pathway determines which is more useful.

4. What to Expect From the Result

Both treatments produce visible results in the same appointment. Hair that receives Olaplex during a bleaching service typically has noticeably less breakage and feels softer immediately after the colour service is complete. Hair treated with K18 after a colour service typically shows improved elasticity and movement, the spring and softness that come from restored keratin chains rather than just surface conditioning.

Neither treatment is a permanent fix for severe damage. Both require consistent use, either as in-salon add-ons or through the at-home product ranges, to maintain the results. For clients with significantly damaged hair, a course of treatments across multiple appointments is more effective than a single session.

K18 and Olaplex are both available as add-ons at The Parlour Kovan. View the full hair services page or book online via Fresha. We're five minutes from Kovan MRT.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between K18 and Olaplex?

Olaplex repairs disulfide bonds broken specifically by bleaching and chemical colour services. K18 repairs keratin polypeptide chains, which can be broken by bleaching but also by heat damage, mechanical stress, and general hair ageing. Olaplex can be mixed into bleach during application to prevent bond damage in real time. K18 is a four-minute leave-in treatment applied after rinsing, with no rinse required.

Both are available as $40 add-ons at The Parlour Kovan. They address different damage pathways and can be used together without being redundant.

Is K18 or Olaplex better for bleached hair in Singapore?

Both are beneficial for bleached hair, but for different reasons. Olaplex directly targets the disulfide bonds that bleaching breaks, and is most effective when mixed into the bleach itself during the lightening process. K18 restores keratin chain integrity after bleaching and is particularly effective if the bleached hair has also been heat-styled extensively.

In Singapore's climate, where bleached hair faces additional stress from UV and humidity, using Olaplex during the colour service and K18 as a regular add-on at subsequent appointments is a practical approach.

How much does Olaplex or K18 treatment cost in Singapore?

At The Parlour Kovan, both Olaplex and K18 are available as add-ons to any hair service for $40. As standalone treatments, pricing varies by salon. At premium Singapore salons, standalone Olaplex or K18 treatments typically range from $50 to $100 depending on whether they are included as part of a service package or booked separately.

Can I use K18 at home?

Yes. K18 produces a retail version of the biomimetic peptide treatment designed for at-home use between salon appointments. The in-salon treatment uses a professional-strength formulation, but the at-home product maintains results between visits. For the best outcome, the in-salon treatment sets the repair foundation and the at-home product maintains it. Your stylist at The Parlour can recommend whether the at-home product is worthwhile based on your hair's condition and how it responds to the in-salon treatment.

How long does K18 or Olaplex last?

Neither treatment is permanent. Both restore the hair's internal structure, but the hair continues to grow and is subject to ongoing damage from styling, UV, and environmental exposure.

Most clients who colour regularly find that adding Olaplex or K18 at every colour appointment maintains the improvement achieved at the first treatment. K18 results typically remain noticeable for four to six weeks before gradual degradation from heat and washing. A consistent treatment schedule produces better long-term results than occasional one-off sessions.